The belief that "women in their greatest perfection was made to serve men" was in full throttle during the Elizabethan Era. Disobedience was seen not only as a crime against their government but a crime against the church. Whether a women was upper class or lower class she had little say in her future.
Upper Class Women
Even though there was an unmarried woman on the throne during this time, Elizabethan women were very limited on what they could do. Women were largely dependent on their male relatives for almost every aspect of their lives. An upper class woman had few things to look forward to in her future.
Upper class Elizabethan women could be tutored at the home but had no hope of entering a university.
Women could not be heirs to their father's titles (except royals).
Women could not vote and were not allowed to enter politics.
By understanding the subservient role of women a person can better grasp the reason behind why Queen Elizabeth I never married. If Queen Elizabeth had married she would have been expected to obey her husband. Due to the fact all her immediate male relatives had died she was not expected to answer to anyone. This fate fell on Mary Queen of Scotts, the Queen's own sister (Bloody Mary), and Lady Jane Grey. These examples illustrate how even women of royal birth were totally dominated by the male members of their family.
Lower Class Women
Lower class Elizabethan women were also expected to obey the male members of their family without question. Women of the lower class were not allowed to go to school. The only education that would have been taught to young girls was to prepare them to be the wife and mothers they were destined to be. Furthermore the only true occupation for a women of that time was to be married. Single women were looked upon with suspicion often times. Many times they were thought to be witches by their neighbors. Every lower class woman was to be married and bring a dowry to that marriage. Once married women were to run the house hold and provide children. Large families were the norm due to the fact that child and infant mortality rates were extremly high. Women were forced to make arrangements for their families if they didn't make it through child birth themselfs.
Elizabethan Women - Appearance
Beauty in the Elizabethan Era was very extreme and women went to extremes to achieve a very specific look. In fact many times they would put their own heath in jeoardy. Only well-to-do women would have been "in fashion" though. The ideal look of an Elizabethan women was very specific. They tried to achieve snow white skin, red lips and checks, fair colored hair and bright eyes. Pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth, and delicacy. In a time where skin problems were very common, pale smooth skin was a rarity. A mix of white lead and vinegar was used as a sort of foundation all across their necks, chest, and face. Obviously, spreading lead across your body can not only cause harm to a ones health but also cause a person to die. Vermilion (mercuric sulfide) was the most popular choice of the fashionable court lady as a way to color the checks and lips. Apparently this could be laid on quite thick; One Elizabethan satirist commented that an artist needed no box of paints to work, but merely a fashionably painted lady standing nearby to use for pigments. The look of fair hair was also highly coveted. They tried many odd things to color their hair, ever urine! All these crazy things simply to please the men in their lives. They would phyiscally put their bodies at risk for man's happiness, almost as if their own joy ment nothing. We should all be grateful things have changed so much.
The belief that "women in their greatest perfection was made to serve men" was in full throttle during the Elizabethan Era. Disobedience was seen not only as a crime against their government but a crime against the church. Whether a women was upper class or lower class she had little say in her future.
Upper Class Women
Even though there was an unmarried woman on the throne during this time, Elizabethan women were very limited on what they could do. Women were largely dependent on their male relatives for almost every aspect of their lives. An upper class woman had few things to look forward to in her future.By understanding the subservient role of women a person can better grasp the reason behind why Queen Elizabeth I never married. If Queen Elizabeth had married she would have been expected to obey her husband. Due to the fact all her immediate male relatives had died she was not expected to answer to anyone. This fate fell on Mary Queen of Scotts, the Queen's own sister (Bloody Mary), and Lady Jane Grey. These examples illustrate how even women of royal birth were totally dominated by the male members of their family.
Lower Class Women
Lower class Elizabethan women were also expected to obey the male members of their family without question. Women of the lower class were not allowed to go to school. The only education that would have been taught to young girls was to prepare them to be the wife and mothers they were destined to be. Furthermore the only true occupation for a women of that time was to be married. Single women were looked upon with suspicion often times. Many times they were thought to be witches by their neighbors. Every lower class woman was to be married and bring a dowry to that marriage. Once married women were to run the house hold and provide children. Large families were the norm due to the fact that child and infant mortality rates were extremly high. Women were forced to make arrangements for their families if they didn't make it through child birth themselfs.Elizabethan Women - Appearance
Beauty in the Elizabethan Era was very extreme and women went to extremes to achieve a very specific look. In fact many times they would put their own heath in jeoardy. Only well-to-do women would have been "in fashion" though. The ideal look of an Elizabethan women was very specific. They tried to achieve snow white skin, red lips and checks, fair colored hair and bright eyes. Pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth, and delicacy. In a time where skin problems were very common, pale smooth skin was a rarity. A mix of white lead and vinegar was used as a sort of foundation all across their necks, chest, and face. Obviously, spreading lead across your body can not only cause harm to a ones health but also cause a person to die. Vermilion (mercuric sulfide) was the most popular choice of the fashionable court lady as a way to color the checks and lips. Apparently this could be laid on quite thick; One Elizabethan satirist commented that an artist needed no box of paints to work, but merely a fashionably painted lady standing nearby to use for pigments. The look of fair hair was also highly coveted. They tried many odd things to color their hair, ever urine! All these crazy things simply to please the men in their lives. They would phyiscally put their bodies at risk for man's happiness, almost as if their own joy ment nothing. We should all be grateful things have changed so much.Sources
Women in Elizabethian Era
Women in Elizabethian Era
Women in Elizabethian Era
Women in Elizabethian Era
Women in Elizabethian Era